Bathing apparatus



(No Model.)

J. W. JAMES. BATHING APPARATUS.

No. 350,490. Patented oat. 12, 1886.

Wimeaaea WW PL PETERS. Phulo-Lflhognphu. Washingmn. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACK WILLIAM JAMES, OF CUBA, TENNESSEE.

BATHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,490, dated October12, 1886.

Application filed March 10,1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l,JAoK WILLIAM JAMns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cuba, in the county of Shelby and State ofTennessee, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Bathing Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved bathing apparatus arranged for anautomatic frictional ablation and drying of the bathers body.

The invention consists in the combination, with a loosefitting andsponge-lined flexible suit or garment for incasing the bathers body, ofa rotary crank-shaft connected with said incasing-garment for thepurpose of moving it up and down in frictional contact with the body,while a stream or spray of water is allowed to trickle on the bathershead and so over his body within its inclosing-garment.

The invention also consists in the combination, with an adjustablerotaryshaft, of a towel attached thereto for applying a succession offrictional blows to any part of the bathers body.

'The invention further consists in the construction and combination ofparts in a bath ing machine or apparatus, as hereinafter more fully setforth.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improvedbathing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bathing-ma chinewith the flexible bathing-suit disconnected. Fig. 3 is aplan or top viewof the machine. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the bathing-garment.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter A designates a platformsupported on postsa or otherwise, and beneath this platform may bearranged a suitable receptacle (not shown) for receiving the wastewater; or any suitable drainage may be provided. The platform A isprovided with slots or openings 1) b for passage of rods B B, to whichis attached a loosefitting flexible bathing-garment, (J, which ispreferably lined with soft sponge c, or similar rubbing material, asshown in Fig. 4. The garment-supporting rods B are respectivelyconnected to the several arms of a multiple crank-shaft, D, which ismounted beneath the platform A, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thiscrank-shaft carries at one end a flywheel, E,

Serial No. 194,750. No model.)

and at or near its other end are four pulleys, d, d, d and d, thepurpose of which will be hereinafter explained. The multiple crankshaftis rotated by means of belting e,.placed on the pulley d and on alargerpulley, f, carried by a driving-shaft, F, which may be actuated by handthrough a crank-handle, f, at

one end, or said driving-shaft may be rotated,

by power applied in any convenient manner. It is obvious that therotation of the crankshaft D will reciprocate the rods B, and there bymove the sponge-lined garment Cup and down on the body of the bather,who stands on the platform A, as shownin Fig. 1. The rods B are providedwith eyes or openings 1) for connecting with loops or rings 1) or otherfastenings, by which connection is had with the loosefittingbathing-garment.

At the rear of the platform A are two uprights, 9 9, having a heightsufficient to bring theirupper ends about in line with the middle of thebathers back. These uprights or standards gg are connected at the top bya cross-bar, h, and to the upper end of each.

standard 9 is pivoted a spring-steel strip, is. The spring-strips kextend across the platform A, and are connected in front of the batherby a horizontal rod or bar, m. The

spring-strips k k support a rotary shaft, G,

which is slotted or otherwise arranged for attachment of a towel, n, tobe used in applying a succession of blows to the bather as the shaft Grotates. The shaftG carries a pulley, p, by which it is driven through abelt, g, from the pulley d on the crank-shaft D, said belt.

being also supported by pulleys rr, connected to thelcross-bar h orother part of the platformframe. The pulley d. is mounted loosely on thecrank-shaft D, while the pulley d is fast,

and theipulley d may be arranged in any wellknown manner, so as to beeither fast or loose, to actuate the towel-shaft G, or not, as may berequired.- If it is desired to use the bathinggarment Oin'dependent ofthe shaft G and its attachedfiwel, the pulley d will be loosened sothatthedaeltkq and shaft Gwill remain at rest while the crank-shaft Dand the connected bathing garment are in operation. It will also be seenthat by shifting the belt 6 to the loose pulley dthe crank-shaft D canbe brought to rest without stopping the driving-shaft F. When"thep'"lley'dismade fast, so as to actuate the rotary towel-shaft G, thebather, by taking hold of the horizontal bar m, can move the rotatingshaft G up and down and to the right and left, by reason of the pivotedarrangement of the spring-strips k is, thus applying the rotating toweln to any portion of his back.

To the bar h, at the top of the standards 9 g, is attached a bent rod,H, from which is suspended a suitable water-vessel, K, adapted todeliver a douche or shower of water on the bathers head and body. Itwill be seen that by means of the loose-fitting sponge-linedbathinggarment 0, moved in frictional contact with the bathers bodywhile subjected to the shower or douche, an agreeable and cleansing bathcan be obtained with all the healthful benefits due to a briskexcitation of the skin. \Vhen the rotating towel nis employed,it may beused either wet or dry,and either alone or in connection with thebathing-garment C, said towel being especially useful when it is desiredto promote a proper circulation of the blood by means of a succession ofblows applied to the body. The towel is also useful for drying thebathers back.

On the crank-shaft D may be placed an additional pulley, d which can bearranged in any suitable manner, so as to be made either fast or looseon said shaft, as required. This pulley d is belted to a pulley, (1*, ona shaft, D, which drives a fan, F, in the casing F. The fan casing F isprovided with air-ducts f f*, arranged to convey a current of air upeach leg of the bathinggarment. A cooling and evaporating effect canthus be readily produced during the bath, or by disconnecting the pulleyd the fan can be made to remain inactive.

If desired, the platform A can be provided with uprights G, havinghandles g, bywhich the bather can steady himself.

WVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, in a bathingapparatus, of a flexible garment for incasing the body of the bather,provided with a lining of sponge, with rods for supporting the garmentalong its length and mechanism for reciprocating the rods to move thegarment in contact with the body of the bather, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a bathing apparatus, a rotary shaft having a towel detachablysecured thereto, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a bathing apparatus, of a flexible garment forincasing the body of a bather, rods extending along thelength of thegarment and connected therewith at different points, a crank-shaftconnected with the rods, and means for operating said shaft,substantially as described.

4. In a bathing apparatus, the combination of a lo0se-fitting bathinggarment, a crankshaft and connections for moving said garment infrictional contact with the bathers body, and arotary shaft having atowel secured thereto for applying a succession of blows to the body,substantially as described.

5. In a bathing apparatus, the combination of the platform A, thecrank-shaft D, the bathing-garment O, rods B, for connecting saidgarment and crank-shaft, and the drivingshaft F, geared with saidcrankshaft, subslantially as described.

6. In a bathing apparatus, the combination of the platform A, havingstandards g y, connected by crossbar h, the pivoted spring strips k k,connected at their forward ends by cross-bar m, the rotary shaft G,supported by the spring-strips k k and carrying a towel, n, and meansfor actuating said shaft, substantially as described.

7. In a bathing apparatus, the combination I of a douche or shower, aloose-fitting spongelined bathing-garment, adapted to be automaticallymoved in frictional contact with the body, and a rotary shaft carrying atowel to deliver a succession of blows on the body, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a bathing apparatus, the combination of a douche or shower, aloosefitting sponge lined bathing-garment, a fan having air-ductsleading to each leg of said garment, and mechanism for moving saidgarment in frictional contact with the body, substantially as described.

9. In abathing apparatiis, the combination of a douche or shower, aloose-fitting spongelined bathing-garment, a rotary crank-shaft, androds for connecting the bathing-garment to the arms of said shaft,substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACK WVM. JAMES.

Witnesses:

JNo. L. OooPER, WM. H. PULLEN.

